Hoisting block



May 9, 1933. M NlEMl 1,907,436

HOISTING BLOCK Filed Feb. l5, 1932 Patented May 9, 1933 were@ r oFFicr:

MATTI NIEIVII, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON' noIsTING BLOCKv I I Applicationled February 15, 1932. Serial No. 593,033.

This invention relates to hoisting blocks, andy more especially toimprovements over structure illustrated and described in my copendingapplication, SerialNumber 57 3,912.

The present invention utilizing, as with my prior invention, a pair ofwedge-closing jaws, the wedge being actuated by a spring, an object ofthe present invention is the provision of a most advantageousarrangement of lock plungers preventing accidental wedge'retraction. *Y

A further object is the provision, co-oper ative with'said lock, of asafety release therefor so designed that the locking plungers are fullyretracted prior to wedge movement.

The foregoing, together with further and more particular objects andadvantages, such as have reference to details of construction inaffording most eiiicient action, strength and durability of thecomponent parts, should become apparent in the course of the followingdetailed description 'and claims, the invention consisting yin the novelconstruction, adaptation and combination of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

VIn the drawing V Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, partsbeing indicated in side elevation, of my improved block'. .j n s oFigure 2 is a transverse vertical section thereof, taken on the line 2-2ofFigure 1."

' yFigure 3 is Yan enlarged detail longitudinal vsection illustrating'one of the ,companionl locking pins; vand p Figure a is a detailtransverse vertical section, taken to an enlarged scale, of the controlmechanism for said pins. s 4

Reference had thereto, the present invention, as with my aforementionedhoisting block, includes a housing conformed of a medial generally horseshoe 'configured member 5 adapted for interposition between cooperatingclosure. plates 6, 7, being joined thereto by bolts 8. As indicated, the,inner side walls of said member '5 are plane, convergingdirectively ofVone another from a head wall 9 to a throat 10. "At opposite sides of atransverseV vertical center line taken through said throatiarea pair oflaterally spaced-apart fulcrum pins 11 serving to supportmediallyof'their lengths, a pair of levers 12 having their upperterminal or power arms l3normally' seating against the member 5, thework arms below said fulcruins` providing companion jaws 14. 15indicates springs in- 5 troduced in sockets of the power arms forspreading the jaws, said springs retained in associated socketsl ofthe'vmember by means ofplugsl.VV Said inner faces of the power armsbeing parallel or nearly so with the outer seating surfaces andproviding a recession 17 adjacent terminal ends of the same, upperportionsl of suchV recesses receiving rollers 18, the inventionintroduces a vertically-movable wedge member 19 inrthe spacebetween saidVarms for tracking engagement of its sidewalls 21 over said rollers,saidv wedge normally seating against 'a shoulder 20 formed relativelyadjacent the leverfulcrums 11. The tracking walls yof said wedge recedeinwardly in accommodating the movement of the lever power arms abouttheir respectivefulcrum. Awedge guide comprises a transverse pin 22acting in a slotl 23 of the wedge to co-operate with` a bolt 24securedto thewedge. Said bolt, receiving a spring 25 thereabouts forinfluencing the wedge against the lever power arms, projects through thehead-wall 9 and terminates in an eye 26, said eye having parallel sidearmsadapted to receive a slide member formed of a centerguide 27 rivetedor otherwise secured betweenyplates 28 con- A formedto overlap the eye.A ring or the like 30 connects said slide with a release lineV 31. Thelarrangement allows relative vertical activity of the slide prior to anabutting engagement of the same with Athe upper cross arm ofthe eye.Secured to said slide through suitable means, the arrangement shownbeing a soldered head 32 engaging laterally turned out wings 33 of theslide side plates 28, are cables 31projecting through apertures of thehousing head, said cables passing about rollers 3.5 supported in averticallybored recess of the wedge and through center bores of arespective horizontally v'movable lock plunger 36 for connectiontherewith. The cylinder bore for said plungers provides a shoulder 37'accommodating the introduction of a spring 38 rearwardly of the plunger,said cylinder located to normally dispose the plunger for socketedengagement below the lever-supported rollers 18.

40 indicates a bail for elevating or lowering the housing, being mountedbetween brackets 42 andthe housing side plates on supporting trunnions43.

I have represented the jaws as adapted to the engagement of awork-supporting ring 44. A designing of the same, however, toaccommodate the various characters ofwork is believed obvious. structuredisclosed, the' lock plungers normally engage inthe lever power armrecesses below the rollers, preventing wedge` retraction.Y In releasingthe same, the slide is actuated `to extract the plungers, such beingfully` disengaged prior to- Contact of the center guide 2r against theeye with wedgemovement. i Y

Various vmodifications within the scope of the invention arebelievedobvious.

What I claim is: Y

Al. Inahoist-ing block, a chambered housing having a throatcommunicatingzwith the chamber thereof at the lower end of the same, anelevating bail for said housing, a pair of horizontally spaced pivotpinssupported by said housing to locate thek same at opposite sides of atransverse center line'taken through .said throat, levers fulcrumed ,onvsaid pins to provide companion jaws at their lower ends and power armsprojecting; within the chamber, a wedge supported in the space betweensaid power `arms within said chamber, a spring serving to inuence saidwedge to spread the power arms in closing said jaws, rollers supportedby said power arms for riding engagement lwith saidt Wedge, means forretracting said wedge in opposition to the spring, and springs socketedrearwardly of each of said power arms for opening the jaws responsive tosaid wedge retraction.

2. The structure as defined in claim l', including lock plungers`engageable between said power arms and the wedge for preventingaccidental retraction of said wedge.

y VIn hoisting apparatus, al blockhaving a bail attached thereto forelevating the same, a pairiof horizontally'spaced pivot pins supportedby said block, levers fulcrumcd on said pins to provide companion aws'at their ,lower ends and power arms at their upper ends, a wedgeengageable with said power arms and supported for movement therebetween,a spring serving to influence said subsequent wedge to spread said powerarms in closing the jaws, said power arms providing sock-ets inrespective inner faces of the same, aroller .supported in the upperportions of each Aof said sockets'for tracking engagement with thewedge, lock plungers supported by said wedge for horizontal movementinto and In the operation of the.

from the sockets below said rollers for locking and releasing the wedgewith respect to the levers, springs for influencing said plungers intothe sockets, and means for releasing said plungers from their lockingdispositions co-incident with retraction of the wedge.

4. The structure as deiined in claim, said plungers being fully releasedprio-r to transmission of retraction power to the wedge.

5. In a hoisting block, a pair of lever members ulcrumed for movementabout a respective horizontal axis, said axes horizontally spaced, onefrom the other', said levers being Aformed to. provide work-engagingjaws below and diverging power arms above the horizontal plane of thefulcrums, a wedge supported for movement between said power arms,plungers adapted .to normally interconnect said wedge and the power armsfor Vlocking the same vagainst movement, and

means for releasing said plungers and for retracting said wedge, saidmeans being inoperative to the wedge prior to full disengagement of theplungers.

6. In grapplingv structure, a pair of lever members supported to providework-engaging and power arms belowand above the point of pivotalsuspension, said power arms diverging upwardly from one another, a wedgeengageable between: said power arms, means for normally looking saidwedge with respect to the power arms to retain the workengaging arms inoperative dispositions, and means for releasing said lock and forretracting said-wedge, said release means being inoperative withrespectv to the wedge prior tofull release oit' the lock.

,Y 7. In grappling structure', levers collectively providingwork-engaging arms, a wedge engageable with said levers-for closing thearms, springs engageable with the levers foropening said jaws responsiveto wedge retraction, and releasable means -for locking said wedge andlevers to normally maintain said arms `in their work-engagingdispositions. f Y

8. The combination with a movable member, a track way therefor, saidtrack including rollers supported at opposite sides of Ysaid member, ofmeans for locking said memher against movement, said means comprisingplungers movable at cross angles tothe direction of member movement andsupported for engagement below the rollers,

Vsprings serving to influence said plungers into engaging relation, andmeans for retractmg said plungers 1n opposition to said 1 springs.

9. The structure as delined in claim 8 including means for moving saidmember, said means being inoperative with respect to thc member prior tofull retraction of the plungers.

'10. The combination with a slidabley member, and means for locking thesame` against movement, of means for releasing said lock and for movingsaid member, said means being inoperative with respect to the memberprior to disengagement of the lock.

l1. In grappling structure, levers collectively providing work-engagingjaws, a Wedge engageable with said levers for closing the same, lockmeans for preventing movement of said Wedge from its jaw-closingdisposition, means for releasing said lock, and means for retractingsaid Wedge.

Signed at Seattle, Washington, this 25 day of November 1931.

MATTI NIEMI.

